Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Hi All,

I have some really basic questions about logistics of moving. We are supposed to be moving to Auckland in 8 weeks and I don't really know how this moving thing works.

So when the shippers come ?a few days before we leave, do we sleep on airbeds in our own home, then pack them, take them on a plane and live in a motel for a week or more. Then rent a house and use our airbeds until our beds arrive from the UK?

I am just wondering how this works. And what do people do for bedding, pillows etc... do you use sleeping bags which you take on the plane?

Also, is it possible to rent a house in Auckland from the UK before we get there having not seen it? What do people normally do? How does this normally work?

Sorry to ask such a numpty question but I need to start somewhere!

Thanks for any tips :thumbup:

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Youve said exactly what Ive been thinking about and planning in my head esp with having kids. Hope you get some good feedback so I can get some tips to!

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Don,t apologise that,s what we are here for. It,s going to be weeks before you see your container so plan on buying a bed here or trying to rent furnished for a bit, you can rent before you get here but i would come and have a look first some of the property can be pretty basic so plan on spending the first week in a motel.

Keep asking away, Neil

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

You'll need all the room you can in your suitcases for clothes and other stuff. I wouldn't worry being without air beds, bedding in the UK and trying to carry it with you would be a nightmare. If staying with someone is not an option, beg, steal or borrow what you need to get by, or better still stay in hotel / go to caravan park whatever you can until you fly, then buy some cheap bedding / pillows and airbeds when you get here.

Book into hotel / motel / holiday park when you get here and look for rental house / apartment as soon as you can. Don't look at rentals from the UK some are awful and you need to see them before committing

The Warehouse will be your friend for the first few weeks.

http://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/red/?g...FUYYHAodvSb6YQ

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Hi when we came out 7 years ago we booked into a holiday park and stayed there for 2 weeks until we found a rental.
If I was you I would book it soon as the rugby world cup will be here the time you are on about arriving and it will be difficult trying to get somewhere booked.

As for renting a house wait until you are in Auckland as some of the houses are cold and damp and crap basically.

When we were waiting for our container we just bought blow up beds from a shop called The Warehouse.Also have a look on Trademe Nz equivalent of E-Bay for any other bits you might need until you wait for your container as things are very expensive here and not good quality.

There is a holiday park in Birkenhead Northshore called The Fernz which is really nice.But be prepared for the astronomical price you are going to be quoted as they are upping all the rates for the world cup.Greedy *****.

If you need any more information just ask away.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Similar to others - we stayed with family in the UK once our stuff had been shipped and then found (from the UK) temporary furnished accomodation in Auckland for the first month. Once we rented we bought airbeds, cheap bedding and kitchen supplies from The Warehouse to use until our container arrived.

I really wouldn't recommend trying to rent somewhere before you get here - best to see them before you commit. There are some real awful rentals around :thumbdown:

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Husband & pusscats had already flown away. I slept on a friend's floor after the house was packed up. Beware! They will pack anything and everything so don't stand still for too long if you don't want yourself boxed .

If you can't stay with friends or family, book yourselves into a caravan or similar.

When husband arrived he booked into a cheap motel and cased the area for a reasonable rental. You really do need to physically check the rentals out. We were lent linen and a few bits and bobs by the landlord. It was partially funished. A chair. A table etc. We bought things we needed from the Warehouse cheap.

Container took 6 weeks to arrive.

If you don't fancy a cheap motel unit , then book a holiday home for a week or so and treat that as your Welcome To New Zealand holiday.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Ok, thanks for all those tips, they are really helpful. I have had a quick look online at the 'Warehouse' shop a few people mentioned, is it like Ikea i.e. one regional big store that we will need to get public transport to (as won't have a car at the beginning) or are there a few stores dotted about Auckland?

Also, stupid question but as we won't have a car, can we do internet grocery shopping and have it delivered?

Natalie

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

There's a Warehouse near to, or within, most shopping centres including Downtown in the CBD. I wouldn't put it anywhere near to Ikea in scale or quality and nothing you could quite compare it to in the UK, maybe larger scale Wilkinsons crossed with Woolworths. We're definitely talking low-end but you should find all that you need to get you started..

Without knowing where you're heading initially its' hard to say about shops. If you're staying in the CBD there are a couple of supermarkets within walking distance, or at least within a cab / bus ride. You could hire a car when you get here, we did for the first two weeks, as you'll need to get around to look at cars and rental properties.

Really you shouldn't stress about food shopping, just have to treat the first week or so as a holiday and act accordingly, eat out and not worry about doing any major shopping for food until you've found your rental. You'll just need some basics: tea, coffee, bread, milk etc which you can get at any little shop to start off with. Depends on where you're staying, but you probably won't have much cooking facilities and you'll be too knackered for cooking anything other than toast. :rofl:

There's only one supermarket that does online shopping: http://shop.countdown.co.nz/?banner=www

If you're renting a serviced apartment in town, you should have washing machine and tumble driers. You can get toiletries and cleaning / laundry stuff also at The Warehouse.

I seem to remember we ended up in the Downtown Warehouse at least once a day for the first two weeks we were here. :blink: Sometimes just for entertainment to gawp in amazement at the things they had. :rofl:

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

We've been here 6 weeks and because we are sharing a container it's delayed in setting off, it actually sets off tomorrow. So we're in a 3 bed house that's almost empty. We bought a TV, bed settee, cutlery, plates etc and 2 radiators. We flew with Singapore Airlines and got double baggage allowance so brought bedding etc. Once here people are very helpful lending you things, I'm not really missing anything to be honest, could do with a fridge and Hoover but we're getting by.

Wouldn't worry too much.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

:scaredhair:Noooo . It will get you by though.


Depending on where you are , I would hope there would be a bit of a 4 square ( corner shop type jobby) or something not too far away.

Are you not thinking of getting a hire car for the first couple of weeks then to get yourselves around.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

I was thinking about sending items to wherever we are renting initially or to the home of people we know there. My worry is needing a travel cot toys air beds car seats for x2 little ones. Alternatively I would appeal to any kind people on this forum!

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Toys ! You will use the Toy Library.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Sound I'll make a note of them. I think Plunkett let you hire car seats to. I was thinking of taking a travel booster seat and pricing up whether it will cost more to buy new items ie air beds bedding etc against a small parcel being sent out. Just some thoughts.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Hi, Can I ask how you managed to get the double baggage allowance with Singapore Airlines?

Cheers, Bev

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Some airlines will allow you more baggage allowance if you can prove you're emigrating.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Thanks Kija, good to know. :thumbup:

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

I got double baggage with Emirates 40kg I had to scan and email my PR Blue sticker

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Wow! So much info. yes, of course we should hire a car initially :o Hadn't thought of that but makes much more sense than trying to get food delivered.

About kids car seats one of the PP mentions. What is the legal requirement? Is it height / age / weight dependent?

next question: My husband has coeliac disease and my middle son is dairy intolerant. How easy is it to find food without those ingredients? Would I have to go somewhere in particular or is there a section in the supermarket aisle like Tesco's 'Free From' range? Also, what is their food labelling like? Do they have a list of allergy advice underneath the ingredients like they do here?

Finally (for now lol) if you get a taxi from the airport to a hotel in the centre, what do we do about car seats then?

Thanks for all the answers, you've been v. helpful :thumbup:

Natalie

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

If you're emigrating and have an unstamped visa they allow double baggage, 40kg each. I made sure I rang them and emailed them for confirmation.

It was a nice surprise, lovely airline too.

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

When your packers come they will pack away your things into boxes & wrap the larger stuff. They will be SWIFT ! Put your packed suitcases into your car or a safe place. Make sure your tickets and passports are not in a drawer that will be packed into a box ! (a previous poster on BE put NZ$ 5,000 into a shoe box and left it in the bottom of the wardrobe....it got packed ! He had to beg and borrow a couple of thousand pounds the day before he left as 'float' for his arrival whilst waiting for his crate and the money to come. Yeah this caused no end of worry regarding customs ! All was well in the end for him though) If your childrens' pyjamas, favourite toy etc are left in their bed on move day, they will be packed & won't be seen for weeks and weeks whilst in transit. Our movers packed us one day and left us enough china and cutlery for one day then returned the next day to finish off and pack the boxes etc into the ships container. They wrapped the bed base and put the matress back on the base so we could sleep the last night. Could just sense the sound of paper as I turned over in the night. You mean I slept on that last night ? Um, sorta !

Re: Some basic qs, sorry!
 

Hi before we moved our house sold sooner than we hoped, we bought our daughter a flat and stayed there until it was time to leave. We were lucky enough to have a cousin here in NZ who viewed some rentals for us while we were in uk, so the keys were ready to collect a day after we arrived. This was fantastic i would view places online and send her an email, she would advice me of the area ie dont go there or thats worth a look kind of thing. She did this for weeks until she found something nice, which was a 3 bed brand new town house $350 rent per wk. Was fab i loved it. We rented for 6mth and then bought our own place.

Because we were sharing a container it left a few weeks after us. We left Nov and were told container would arrive feb it actually arrived in Jan. Any way we didnt have as much as a fork and the house was un-furnished. People i met at work offered me a tv and table and chairs and bits and bobs. Kiwis are like that. Like everyone else has said we went to warehouse which btw is pretty naff but you can get cheap essentials to tide you over. Briscos is also great which i still love to this day. Middle of the road quality at a good price just go when the sales are on which is all the time. We were advised not to bring large items which we didnt except tv, computers and some electrical stuff. We sold the lot back in uk (big mistake) we had to buy sofa bed, x3 beds furniture, fridge, washing machine ie a front loader which was mega expensive 3x price in uk but i wasnt having a top loader. Any way within a week of arriving we had spent nearly 20k. I would have been cheaper shipping my full house. You live and learn. You will be suprised how quick you get by and find your way around.